Lock key



Sept. 1, 1931.

J. H. SHAW I LOCK KEY Filed May 17, 1928 gmentoz Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN H. SHAW, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T SARGENT 80 COMPANY:

OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT r whereupon the key mechanism maybe withdrawn from the lock:

LOCK KEY Application vfiled May- 17, 1928. Serial No. 218,543.

My invention relates to improvementsin lock keys, and more especially to keys intended for use in pin tumbler lockmechanisms or thelike. I

A primary object of my invention is to provide a key which may be suitable for use with a pin tumbler lock mechanism, and which is adapted to operate such a mechanism when inserted to a plurality, of different depths.

-A further ob ect of the invention is to' provide a key having means thereon for aligning the pin tumblers or the liketof a lock mechanism in which the keymay be moved axially in the lock mechanism while maintaining the pin tumblers 1n the same position of alignment. a

It is highly desirable in certain instances to provide cylinder or other lock mechanisms which may from a lock case in order that the comb nation of the lock may be changed, or for other purposes. It has been proposed heretofore to provide a secondary lock ng system for securing the. key plug and pin tumbler mechanism in the lock case, this secondary locking mechanism'belng under the control of a key which, under ordinary or normal conditions, will operate the locking mechanism in the normal manner to withdraw a latchbolt or the like'and in which the key may be inserted to a difierent depth to unlock the secondary lock ng mechanism, plug and pm tumbler case. Prior looks of this type have been provided with pin tumblers hav ng a lurality of breaks or shears therein. I pon the insertion of a proper key, one setgof these breaks or shears is brought into alignment with the outer surface of the key plug to permit rotation drawing alatch bolt, etc: Upon the nsertion of a different 'key, or of a further insertion of the same key, another set of breaks is brought into alignment in the secondary locking system toJperm1t the lock mechanism to be withdrawn from the lock case. In my co-nending application, Serial No.

be readily disassembled thereof in 'withof insertion of the key rather than a different combination or arrangement of the pin tumbler mechanism. The key of the present application is particularly adapted for use in such a look.

In a more specific aspect, the present invention contemplates a key provided with a bit having notches therein which are substantially longer than the notches heretofore provided in similar keys.

' To these and other ends, the invention oonsists in the novel features and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed. 7

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a lock case containing a lock suitable for use in connection with my improved form of key;

Fig. 2 is anend view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;-

Fig. 4 is a seetional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan form of key; and I Fig. 6 is a sectional view along line 6-6, of Fig. .3. I will now describe my invention in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof shown in the drawings and in c'onnection with the lock'shown therein which view of my improved" is illustrative of one of the uses that may be made of my improved form of key. The

lock mechanism shown is described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 27 8,545 filed May 17 1928, and therefore it will be understood that the features relative to the improved form of locking mechanism are claimed in the co-pending application and not herein.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 7 indicates in general a part of a'door lock comprising a door handle or knob 8 connected by means of a shank 9 to any usual or-preferred form of latch bolt, or other lock mechanism, not shown herein, handle 8 having mounted therein a cylinder lock case 10, having a plurality of radially projecting ribs or lugs 11 received within and seated at the bottoms of openings 12 in handle 8, handle 8 being provided with a face plate 13 bearing against an outer face 14 of lock case 10. Face plate 13 is. provided on its periphery with interrupted,

threads 15 engaging similarly interrupted threads 16 in handle 8 and is normally locked against rotary movement relative tohandle 8 by plunger 17 in look case 10, plunger 17 being urged towards plate 13 by a spring .18, plate 13 being provided with an opening 19 in which the plunger is normally seated while at the opposite end of plunger 17 is a disk 20 received in an opening 21 in handle 8. The lock case 10 is provided with the usual key plug 22 having at one end thereof a thimble 23 extending into shank 9 and engaging a square rod 24 which may extend into a latch bolt or other lock mechanism carried in or on a door, and which is not shown herein. The usual pin tumblers 25 are provided to prevent rothat the key may be inserted in the key plug. In order that key 26 may properly align the pin tumblers 25 in a plurality of positions, each pin tumbler engaging portion or notch 30 of key 26 is made of substantially greater length than in the usual key, as may be seen from Fig. 5 of the drawm s.

%he operation of the form of lock mechanism shown in the drawings when used with my improved form of key is as follows: The slot for the key will be in a vertical position, or such other position as it may occupy when the key plug is held against rotation by the pin tumblers: The key is inserted into the slot until it occupies the position shown in Fig. 3, that is, a position in which the shoulders 31 are spaced'a substantial distance from the outer face of the key plug. In this position, the notches 30 on the bit 28 of the key bring the breaks in the pin tumblers into alignment with the 5 outer surface of the key plug, whereupon the key plug may be rotated into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The key may now be fully inserted into the key plug, as shown in Fig. 4, bringing the end of the bit 28 into engagement with the disk 20 and withdrawing the plunger 17 from opening 19 in face plate 13, whereupon the latter may be rotated to bring the threads 15 opposite the interrupted po'rtionsof the threads 16 and the face plate and lock mechanism withdrawn in an axial direction from the handle '8. A lock mechanism having a different arrangement of tumblers therein may be placed in the handle 8 in place of the former locking mechanism and face plate 13 assembled on the handle -8, and rotated into position wherein the plunger 17 engages the opening 19, whereupon the faceplate and lock mechanism are secured in the. handle against displacement, except in the manner previously described.

From the foregoing description of my improved form of key and its use in connection' with the lock mechanism shown, it will be readily understood that I have provided a form of key which may engage a lock in a plurality of positions and operate the same. It will be further understood that although I have described but a single use that may be made of my key that thesame is not limited to such a use but may be used as a master key or in' other ways, in which it is desirable to operate a lock mechanism by the same key inserted to a plurality of different depths.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is not to be limited to all the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

IVhat I claim is:

1. A key fora lock havingtumblers and a key engageable locking device positioned beyond the tumblers, said key being provided with means for aligning said tumblers in one position thereof and being adapted to be moved to another position without displacing the alignment of said tumblers, and means on the key for operating. the key engageable locking device upon movement of the key into the last named position.

2. A key for a lock having a series of tumblers adapted to be moved to releasing position by the key and a separate locking device also movable to releasing position by the key, said key being insertable in the lock to one depth to move the tumblers into re-' the same position of alignment when moved from one depth to the other. a

3. A key for a lock provided with a series oftumblersada'pted to bemoved to releas ing position by the key and provided with a separate locking device also adapted to be operated by the same key, said key being 1 provided with means to move the tumblers to releasing position when inserted into the lock to a given depth, and provided with means to align said tumblers in the same releasing position when inserted to a different depth, said key being provided with means adapted to operate said separate locking device when standing in said last named position.

4. A key for a lock,having a series of tumblers adapted to be moved by the key to v a-releasing position, and havinga separate locking device also adapted to be moved by the key to releasing position, said key being ada ted to be inserted into the .lock to two di erentdepths and being provided with means to move the tumblers to releas- 5 ing position when standing in either position, and said key being provided with means for enga ing and actuating said second locking devlce in one position butkbeing disengaged therefrom-in the other position. 5. A 'key for a lock having a series of locking tumblers adapted to be moved to releasing position bythe insertion of the key, and a separate locking device adapted tobe moved to releasing position'by a further movement of the key, said key being provided with a bit cut to move-the tumblers to releasing position and to permit a further movement of the key to a second position without disturbing the tumblers,f-saidkey 40. being provided with means adapted to operate said separate locking device when in said second position. 6. A key for a lock having a series of locking tumblers adapted to be moved to re- 4; leasing,position by the insertion of the key therein to one depth, and a separate lockingdevice adapted tobe moved to releasing position by the insertion of the key to another depth, said key being provided with' means to move the tumblers to releasing position when inserted to said first depth and adapted to be moved to the position of said second depth without displacing the tumblers, and being provided with means adapted to operate said separate locking device when inserted to said second depth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 9 day of May, .1928.

. JOHN H. SHAW. 

